One of our drivers, Ko Sol, went to culinary school over the past 9 months. Most of his training was done in the 5 Star hotels in the area, so he now has firsthand experience cooking Cambodian, Italian, and French cuisine. He formally receives his certificate next week, so I won’t be here to attend the ceremony, but Deanna and Pat will be there as his family. Even though he doesn’t have the paper yet, he’s already been hired by the guesthouse that he’s been working with as a driver. It’s amazing how the sense of family and togetherness in this culture is an extremely strong bond.
Last night he cooked an incredible meal. We had grilled red fish, amok (fish, coconut milk, and spices all steamed in a banana leaf cup), beef kabobs, and an authentic Waldorf salad. The flavors were incredible and everything cooked to perfection.
This morning we had some of the leftovers for breakfast. There’s a sizable group of French college-age tourists staying in the hotel, and when they came down for the standard breakfast fare they were rather amazed to see what we were eating. One girl stopped dead in her tracks and stared at the Waldorf salad for a good 5 seconds. It was quite different from the standard toast and jam, omelet, or French toast that is on the menu.
Today was the start of class. It’s blazing hot here, so that makes speaking in front of a group a challenge. I have to keep wiping away the sweat so I don’t have any land on the PC. The electricity is already bad enough. I imagine one droplet of liquid would put on a real show.
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